001Good evening. I will uh [clears throat] begin the January meeting of the Carver School Board. Uh roll call. All administrators and board members are present. At this time, I would invite everyone to join me in the pledge of allegiance. Pledge >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. The first item of business is reorganization of the board. Are there any discussion here? Hearing none of it, entertain the nominations. >> I would nominate that we keep the slate of officers the same way they are for this year, which would be Mr. Mr. Mclofflin for president, myself vice president, Mrs. Albrech for secretary, and Mr. Thompson for assistant secretary, and then Mr.
002Manette as legislative liaison. I believe that is the way it is right now. Right. Okay. I would I would move that. >> I would second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Thank you. Appreciate the honor of serving as president. Next item of business is to approve the previous meeting minutes. Um, any additions or corrections? Hearing none, I would entertain a motion to approve the meeting minutes to approve those meeting. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> All right. Now, the best part of the meeting, the building principal report. >> Well, good evening. Um, so I do have a few guests with me today and they're going to come up um and greet you in just a little bit. Um, but I'm representing Wilson Preschool Academy today and I do
003have a small slideshow to talk through and then if you guys have any questions just feel free to ask. So, currently I just want to share our enrollment. We have grown since the last time I was able to present to the board and um each year we've had Oh, perfect. Each year we've had a little bit of an expansion. So, I'm going to talk about that a little bit today as well. Um, so for the infants, we have eight out of eight students enrolled. um two of them are going to join us in February. We have eight out of the 10 toddler ones enrolled and 10 out of 10 toddler twos enrolled. We have 30 Come on we have 33 year olds enrolled in our Wilson campus and 34 four year olds enrolled in the
004Wilson campus. [clears throat] Currently we have 32 students participating in our developmental program on site. Um that number does grow throughout the year. We have 36 four-year-olds at our hose campus and then we have 15 students participating in some sort of speech dropin. Um whether it be at Head Start or coming in for walk-in services. Um part of the expansions that we put together is that we've added a toddler two to the employer sponsored child care program. Last year was the ones and twos combined. Um we also added students with developmental delay into our um community preschool program based on their least restrictive environment. One of the exciting things this year that I'm really proud of is some of the students with developmental delay returned to their home school at North or MC or South
005Montgomery. So, that's been really exciting to put forth. Um, a couple additional changes were in December, we combined two developmental classrooms into one as we had a teacher go into maternity leave and that's been successful this year um so far and that is still operating on an AM and a PM schedule instead of a full day schedule. Um, the other thing that's really exciting is we've partnered with Crawford'sville High School and we have an early childhood education interns. We have three of them right now and they um work from 7:25 to 10:00 with our preschool students and they've are also enrolled with courses throughout Benson's University. So, here's the fun parts with all the pictures. Um, so we have STEM activities that are happening within um Wilson Preschool throughout the day. I did try to
006capture um glimpses within different classrooms. So here you can see students are exploring with water collar and um coffee filters and watching them go through with science. Um we have music into the classrooms. We also have experiment with like pumpkin seeds counting um what happens if you open up the pumpkin, what does it feel like and all of that exploration. And then um the last picture on this one is a pumpkin volcano. So they get to experiment what happens when you mix things and see that cause and effect. Um we have themed weeks. Each week is different and so this is example of food week. We have healthy versus unhealthy foods. Talking about the importance of handwashing, learning to use small appliances. Um with that they make personalized pan or pizzas in um a toaster
007oven. Um they make pancakes on a griddle, applesauce, apple juice, fruit salad. They do a blender with smoothies and so they get to use um all of these different appliances to see what that's like. Not every home has those, so we try to keep them um just open to opportunities. We also have um a community week as well as transportation week. Um so here are some pictures for our vehicles um from the community. So Crawford'sville Police Department was able to come. Students were able to sit in with um Officer Bowen um inside his police car. We had Tom's Marine um bring a snowmobile. Crawford'sville Fire Department, they do get to see the firetruck and then walk through the back of the fire truck. Um DND Trash Service came. CEL and P um did the extension
008of the of the bucket. Yeah, thank you. Um and so that we got to see how tall they could get. Um Indiana Department of Transportation came with the snowplow and then the Star Ambulance came and I did not get to see this. So when I was going through pictures, I was excited. They actually got to go in the back of the ambulance and then also the um the gurnie was pulled out and they were some of them sat on the gurnie. So that was kind of cool to see. So it's an all-in experience when we do that. Um our teachers and staff organize some type of family engagement each month. And so this slide is about our fall festival. We have a ton of variety of activities for them to do. Um here's pictures of
009them making sticker jacko'lanterners. Um we had a canvas where they could select their paint. Um, but then different tools to paint. So, um, paint brushes, a whisk, hands, I think I had a footprint on it. Um, all kinds of different modes of tools to to use to paint this canvas. It is hung up in my in the Wilson campus school. And so, um, if you ever want to come by to see it, you can. It's kind of green right now, so we're looking to add some color maybe the next time. Um, and then we also had a family portrait where they had a green screen behind them and they were able to take a family portrait if they wanted to and color pumpkins. We had pumpkin rolls. Um, all kinds of activities for them to
010do on the playground. Uh, we just finished up in December with our winter festival and so the teachers and staff organized um just just a different couple different things. So, gingerbread housemaking. Um, uh, the little girl in pink has a ornament she's doing where it's with shaving cream and then you wipe off the shaving cream and they became an ornament. Um, they wrote letters to Santa Claus. We have pictures with Santa Claus. And so, again, another night of fun activities for parents to do. Many of these activities and family nights are um presented to families of easy things they can do with their their kids at home. So at home items that they can do and continue to work with that development. Um also in December we um are excited to have more high school
011students come in our building. So National Honor Society came to visit and they handed out our four-year-old program um a gift of literacy to all the preschool students. So they were able to unwrap those gifts. And so I'm just very thankful to have that partnership as well. And then of course the child care is always the fun picture. Um a lot of fun is happening within those three rooms. And so they come from ages 6 weeks to um a little over three years old. Um they just have to be under three at August 1. Um and then sometimes we have them um come in throughout the year. Um, a couple of our students will occasionally be three years old and go into our three-year-old preschool if we need to have additional room for our two-year-olds.
012Um, so you can kind of see all kinds of fun. They do walks outdoors. We have bubbles. Bubbles are a blast in there. They get excited. Um, painting and learning how to use those skills fine motor wise. And then just trying to um work on skills like sitting up, holding on to things and um colors and vibrant things. Okay. Do you guys have any questions? Wow. >> I want to know what you put in the pumpkin for the volcano. >> Rita, >> baking soda. >> Okay. Baking soda and vinegar. There you [clears throat] go. That is an activity that I just come watch and then I usually clean up. I don't necessarily get to to prepare for that. Yeah. Go ahead. No. Okay. Um, so at this time, I would just would like my uh
013preschool students to come up here and then you want to grab them. Okay. Come here, Ken. So, um I'm going to introduce you and all they have to say is a quick thank you, but we appreciate your time of of energy of being an active school board member. So, um you say thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> And then we have a small um gift for you guys just as a token of appreciation. There you go. >> Mrs. Plunkett, when my kids were at the Wilson uh kindergarten center, as it was back in the day, I went in and helped would take kids out and help them with reading and things. And I have something similar to this that hangs on my wall today. So, thank you very much. You can
014say hello. >> Hello. [laughter] Thanks again for sharing your children with us tonight. >> [laughter] >> Good job. >> All right. Well, the best part of the meeting is over. So, uh I guess we will carry on. There being no old business, we will move on to new business. The first item is to consider reserve grant for CTE. >> Yes. So, this is an additional grant above the basic Perkins grant that we receive each year. Uh, this grant is for $150,000 and is to be spent obligated by June 30th of this calendar year. Uh, this grant is proposed to be used to begin a new CDL program uh housed at our West Central Indiana CTE cooperative um that Crawford'sville does belong to. We are the LEA. That is why this is uh coming onto our
015books and we recommend that the board approve this grant to be pursued and used to help expand the CT opportunities for our students. >> Real quick, Sarah, would you if I don't if you guys have ever met Sarah Nicodemus, so the power Nicodemus of the family. Um but she is our director of the CTE program and when she presents great ideas and opportunities for our students and then this is one that as a governing board um with fellow superintendents from Western Boon North McGomery South McGomery um and myself you know we worked with her and we've been talking about a CDL program for three years maybe more and so you want to just give a quick about how maybe got the steps you had to take to work through to get us to this moment.
016>> Sure. Thank you. We u had to actually show documentation that it was one relevant to the community. It couldn't just be a wild idea that we were chasing. So, we had to show workforce um data that would support students going into these future pathways. We don't want to create a dead end for a student um at any point. And so, um, beyond the workforce, we had to make sure it was relevant to our individual community as well as the the region four workforce area. And, um, that there were some sort of positive student outcomes. And one of the big focuses is the CDL certification. A student can take that and they own that certification. Nobody can take it once they have it unless, well, let me retract that. They could if they lose it,
017but um, it's theirs, right? it doesn't stop when they're a senior and they walk across that stage um and they can leverage that no matter where they are in life whether they choose to stay um local which is our hope because we are promoting partnerships within that program however they can use it to um get to their next step in life as well. So the the workforce combined with the student outcomes is um what we were tasked with presenting to the state commission for higher education um who is our agency at the state level. Um and I would like to add that uh we were one of the very few that were fully funded. We could ask for $150,000 and we were one of very very few CTE districts that were given a fully awarded
018amount. So, um, they have faith in us and I have faith in, um, our community and our partners to bring this to life. >> Sarah, thank you very much for making that happen. I do have a question though. Will they have actual hands-on experience? >> They will. Yes. Um, they will get behind the wheel um, in a training environment and then they will test and the goal is by the time they walk across the stage at graduation to be a licensed CDL driver. [snorts] >> So, I think Dr. Riker's eyeing future bus drivers here. >> [laughter] >> Uh we yes that you know pipeline we're always thinking where can this lead and um while they can't get their public passenger endorsement at 18 it certainly can complete that first step. >> Thank you very much.
019Any other discussion? >> Uh while she's here I do also want to point out that you know we have talked about like our growth in AP credits another way to prepare kids for college or dual credit courses in Crawford'sville High School working with West Central. We had about 280 or so dual credits earned last school year. So, and a lot of efforts from Sarah to do this. So, just CTE program provides our kids with great opportunity. And CTE can cover, you know, a non-olbound direct to the workforce all the way up to, you know, our nursing kids who are going to go for a four-year degree. So, um, you know, opportunity is here and Sarah does a great job providing those opportunities for our students. >> More of a comment than >> maybe more of
020a comment than a question, but once [clears throat] the kids get their CDL, they're still going to be challenged to to find employment with no experience. Is just to pile on your task load. Um, you might, you know, try to find some employers that would be willing to take these fresh, uh, freshly licensed drivers, um, and give them because once they have a couple years experience, then they're everybody would want them. So, finding the first couple years of experience is going to be a challenge. >> Any other discussion? Hearing none, I would entertain a motion to approve the grant for CTE. >> So moved. >> I second. All in favor? >> I >> All right. Thank you. The next item is to consider a property owner access consent form for John Beer property. >> Yes.
021Um this is in collaboration of working with the mayor and the city. Um, this is the the mayor helping us um look at the Crawford'sville school property that is adjacent to John Beard to um assess if there are any environmental needs to that property. Um, so I recommend that the board approve this agreement. >> Any discussion? I would entertain a motion to approve. >> Move approval. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I All right. Thank you. Moving on to personnel. You have no no one on the list for hiring. So, we have some resignations. >> Yes. I recommend the board approve our two resignations listed. >> So, moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> All right. Moving along to business manager, Mr. Mcodemus. >> Yes. Good evening. Um, so first thing that I
022have is our employee hub. Uh we've been talking about this hub for the last couple months and we are currently live with the hub and beginning to use it. Uh still have some items that need to be cleaned up. We're working with their uh tech development staff to get those little glitches fixed um a little bit more capabilities and uh being able to work through the system a little better. Um but we will be pushing this out to all staff in groups um over the next week or so and getting everyone in there. So currently employees that are already in the system can view their payroll documents. So payubs, W2s, etc. They can make requests for changes to personal information as well as uh view their deposit, direct deposit information, tax information, and all of
023their benefit information within the system. Uh new capabilities will be rolling out throughout the next 12 to 18 months. And then hopefully by the end of that period we will have a fully functional one-stop shop for employee hub with what we deal with in the business department. Uh second is we have engaged uh Baker Tilly our financial consultant to complete monthly financial reporting uh for the board. This engagement will help us to be more efficient and provide you with a more in-depth view of our major funds that are the budget funds for the DLGF. Um, and so in front of you, um, on the table is a draft sample of those reports that you'll see. They call this a dashboard report. It's revenue, expenses, different percentages, showing you where things are sitting. Um, this is
024still a work in progress. We're still working with them on getting the final version ready, but this will give you an idea of what those will look like that you'll get every single month in your board pack. uh just let us know if you see anything, if you have any comments or questions. Um they're willing to make any changes that we ask for um to be able to work through that with them. And then the last thing I have is Oh, yeah. >> Is is that a one-year, two-year, threeyear contract with Baker Tilly on this? >> I right now it's just a one-year contract setup um in a monthly state. Right now we have they have not it's brand new to them. So we are one of their first clients in doing this engagement style
025and they're also providing to us um an hour every month of help go to them with questions have them do a special project things like that. So we have 12 total hours for the year to use with that. Um, they're also going to start doing that onepage fiscal indicator. We that is included in that and there's some other items that they're going to start doing for us as well. >> The last item I have >> one second on this. Yeah, I I do >> um school finance is probably way too complicated and it they if they could ever make it easier, but you know, you have a lot of legislation that goes into it. But I think what we're trying to get to is something a you can see that's pretty simple like on this
026front page right it kind of really breaks down the education fund the operations fund and then you have our you know referendum fund the exempt would be like the middle school and those types of things but trying just to get it so there's a good clear picture um because you know earlier in the finance report Andrew talked about our fund balances coming up after two [clears throat] years down and besides maybe once a year seeing a little diagram there. We want to make sure that everybody sees it. We're just trying to get this information out. And it also really helps us to these are kind of new areas for us to be more transparent or to make, you know, have the information to clearly make our decisions moving forward. Um, so Andrew's done a great
027job, but I think they're helping us build a better system. Our true intention is to do work with them for a year and then for us to be able to take it on our own. Um, you know, [snorts] really Andrew has to provide them all the information. Um, we just get to see how they disseminate everything back to us in an organized way and put some things together and we'll make sure that they get to Crawford'sville colors um, real soon. But I, you know, hopefully this is as we move forward into possible future financial challenges that everybody starts to have a clear idea of like when we're talking about education fund or operational fund, you know, what's how can we put it in front of everyone is easy as possible. would also really like to
028point out here that if you look here in the middle of the first page, January 1, 2025 beginning B fund balance compared to the ending fund balance. So December 31, um some of the belt tightening that we have done is moving us in the right direction. Earlier, Andrew talked about that our fund balance, you know, has had one of the largest growth that has had except for during COVID, we had a large growth because, right, we really weren't spending a lot of operation funds and we were down. And so, we're building ourselves back up into a healthy for Crawford'sville Community Schools area level. And then you can kind of just see that here to have the visual here that you see that in operations fund which for the first time in you know maybe not
029in Steve Susan's tenure but the rest of we did not overspend the money in there. Now, that has to do with some transfers, but you can just see a visual that, you know, we are, you know, not overspending where we've had some years of overspending. And some of that is going to happen, right? We had the year of a $5,000 raise and a $4,000 and you're just going to get into your fund balance. Our fund balance was low, so now we got to build it back up. So, if we ever have to do something like that, or if we get our fund balance to a really healthy, then we can do those types of things that come along. but you as a board will more easily be able to see, oh well, here's the fund
030balance and this is why we can do, you know, twice the pay raise for teachers than we've ever done or something like that. So, that's where we're trying to get to. >> Thank you, Andrew, for all your efforts. >> No problem. Uh, so the last item I have is um equitable services. So we are in the final stages of our transition from moving all of our retirement accounts from Corbridge to Equitable as the provider and bookkeeper for those accounts. Uh so this stage involves individualized meetings with financial adviserss for each individual staff member that would like them. um those financial adviserss will help them to move their funds that are in their 403bs over to equitable if that is what they choose. Um but then they can also meet with them and discuss an an
031individual's entire financial plan. They can pull their turf retirement, any savings accounts they have, any prior retirement accounts they have, and they can get it all bundled into one picture for them. So, that's a really big pro of why we went with this service and this company for this. Um, this stage does involve as well a final blackout period. It right now it's a 30-day period from January 20th to February 20th. So, by the end of that period in February, we will be up and running with equitable services. Accounts will be moved over and then we will just roll from there. That is all I have. Andrew, I want to thank you too for the amount of work that you put in on this because I know over 25, we spent a lot of time
032in meetings meeting with the various providers to come up with the best option for our staff. So, uh, thanks again. Appreciate it because I know you spent a lot of time doing that. All right, assistant superintendent report, Dr. Bart. >> Yeah, thank you. Good evening. Um, so first off in operations, um, couple weeks off, uh, we were able to get a few bigger projects done. So, uh, CMS classroom floors, we were able to complete those over break. So, that was one that kind of started over the summer. We had tried a different type of flooring versus the carpet in there and, um, all worked out well. So, over fall break, uh, we did a little bit and then we were able to finish the remaining rooms, um, over over winter break. So, um, brings that
033one to a close, which is good. Uh Hoover playground was also completed um and is currently in use and with the weather being a little warmer, they've been on it and excited about that addition there at Hoover. Nicholson's old playground equipment was removed over break and is currently being installed. And if it wasn't finished at the end of today, um it should be finished tomorrow. So as soon as we get some mulch back in there, that one will be up and running as well. Um, and then the other big one, uh, we took care of over break was at the high school, uh, band and choir AC unit was replaced at CHS. So, I know in the spring when the weather gets warmer, they'll be happy that they have, uh, some cool, um, air running
034running through those rooms. Uh, school safety, uh, the district safety team met today at Rockpoint Church. Um so we [snorts] met over there to do a walkth through as we look to utilize that space as part of reunification plans uh for any um events that may require unification from any of our buildings. So appreciate uh Rockpoint Church and Brian Saunders today leading us through um the facility over there and and what we'll have access to. So um other things that um we talked through were continued plans for reunification of Wilson Preschool this spring. Um and then Alice trainings will also begin um uh this month uh with just an overview introduction uh to those uh procedures which Alice is um we will basically combine that uh so that's alert lock down inform counter and then
035evacuate. So, uh, kind of molding the I love you guys, um, procedures with Alice to just bring more research and trainings and options to the table for, uh, staff and students in our buildings. Um, which we have officer Bowen and Officer Vapondo, both Alice trained. Um, and they will be leading, uh, those trainings, uh, with at our buildings, which will be really good. Uh lastly, uh just in the curriculum instruction assessment world, mainly assessment here, we're entering into um and have been a little bit even before break into a a uh assessment window here with our second checkpoint with iLearn. So that would be grades three through eight are um currently administering uh those uh second checkpoints. So we'll be looking through that data as it comes in. And then middle of the years with
036MCL class at K through three in reading and math uh are also being completed. And then WEDA testing with our English learners opens uh next Monday. So kind of getting into that second semester assessment routine. And that is your assistant superintendent report. >> Thank you, Dr. Bopkart. Superintendent Dr. Riker. >> All right. Well, happy new year. Um please look in your Oracle. So for the first time ever, we have a year recap page. So it's amazing. We should just end the board report with the kids. in the N that page um because it does help you know just bring to light all the amazing things that happened in 2025 and of course this is just one page worth. So outstanding work by um Christy Strickland and all the building folks who help her put this
037together. So I appreciate that. Appreciate everything that you guys did to support us for 2025 and looking for 2026 being the best year ever. Um working with the school community. Um, I'm very excited and grateful to announce that one of our professional service providers made a $5,000 initial donation to open up the Crawford's Education Fund through the McGomery County Community Foundation. Um, so there is a link there that if you want to start donating, you can. Um, but we um, and we've already received a few donations into that opened account. Um we are exploring ideas on how best to grow this fund to support the excellence and caring and achievement of our students and staff. The you know this was one of those things that um Steve met with me, Kelly Taylor um and we
038were just work we've talked about this a little bit. We finally got together, figured it out. Um Steve, you know, used some of our resources to um let one of our service providers know that there was an opportunity for this and they jumped on it real quickly. Um so and again that we will build on how to do the campaign and how to do our fundraising. Um Dr. Boart's looked into some other school corporations, go back to Scott and I even had met with Waw Bash um with Steve Huffman at one point in time to come up with some ideas. So, we will work with this, but the foundation is set for the future of ways to do it. So, that's really exciting. Um and again, extremely grateful. Um been meeting with Mayor Barton and
039other community groups about potential projects in our school corporation. um to increase housing in our community. So, that's important. Um I think Mr. Manette uh as the city attorney will has an appointment to talk to our school attorney as they try to work through all the things that are coming along. So, I appreciate all the hats that you wear, Kent. Um in the world of educational leadership, we are receiving our teacher appreciation grant applications. Um our selection committee will meet next week. Susan is on that committee and yeah, we have now received enough applications that we will have to work hard. Um, so that it's great to see and you know, Brent and I have been trying to skim through them as they come in and we try to provide little suggestions back. The old
040[snorts] teacher English teacher hat on was, hey, you know, maybe if you work on this paragraph it'll be a little better or don't forget to underline your thesis and stick to the point. Um but no uh so it trying to help everybody have the best application that they can have. Um looking forward to being able to um award those and and then work with those who were we will not be able to select to help them for next year. So that's good. Our corporation leadership team met with the Flores well charity Flores with Flores Consulting. Um she helped us with our three-year strategic plan. We're, you know, halfway through year two of a three-year plan. So, we just kind of were checking our benchmarks and determining how to continue the rolling of a three-year strategic
041plan. Um, she's um Charity has had a role with the state. She was also a middle school math teacher for us. Um so she has great knowledge and she you know our conversation led to ways that we can make data analysis more efficient and clear for teachers and take a lot less time. So just kind of like what you working with Baker Tilly so that you can see the finances more clearly charity is going to work with us. So because I do think even like the tag application you know teachers are trying to figure out where to go you know I mean Dr. Bokart and I have all sorts of spreadsheets, so try to get it down to where they just have sheets or, you know, a file in front of them to more easily
042work through. Um, so that's great. Started meeting with our building administrators for middle of the year meetings, check-ins. We discuss both how everything's going with the 2526 school year and have initial conversations about the upcoming 2627 year. On Friday, I will deliver tough cookie awards. So, I'm assuming these are a gift from Chartwells tonight. So, thank you board. Hopefully, you had perfect attendance. Um, but yeah, so it's >> okay. There's always one Susan. Um, but we have the a tough cookie. just a small sweet little tasty treat um that goes to our staff that have not missed a day of school each nine weeks. So we have and right cold season, flu season, sick kids. We're just trying to give a little reward because we know that anybody who has been here every single day.
043I mean, more than likely is probably shown up when they should have stayed home or they're just really lucky and they've but it's just a small little reward trying to work through that. So, we have 64 staff that will receive a cookie on Friday. So, I'm impressed with that. um grateful for my team, you know, as we kind of find ways to provide a great education for our students, uh while ensuring we remain financially stable for future challenges. I mean, I figure that goes along with the finance report there. Um, you know, there are times over here with legislation and fin the funding and all those things, it gets a little heavy over here and so I just get up and I go walk through the buildings and, you know, I get re-energized and because
044you get to see the kind of the exceptional efforts our staff are making um for our students. Yesterday is a great example. um got up, walked over to the high school and there was about nine minutes to go in the period and I still saw almost 100% engagement on walking both floors of the academic floor. So I sent Mr. Strickland a text, call me now. You know, so he called me. He's like, what? Cuz he, you know, they know when I'm in the building. I think at Hoover it's Red Robin is in the building or something like that. Um, but he said, "Well," I'm like, "Hey, man. This is just awesome." So, um, and I got out of the building before I could see anything else. But, no. Um, so, you know, that's just little
045things that as a board you should see, like the pictures speak a thousand words. Great job, Heidi. That's good. Um, so those things come along. Reminders, next board meeting is February 12th at 5:30. I'm grateful to be your superintendent and proud to be an Athenian. >> Thank you, Dr. Riker. No other business that I'm aware of. Board member comments. Hearing none uh patron comments. All right. Hearing none, I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. >> So moved. >> Second. [clears throat] All in favor? >> I. All right.